The present invention relates generally to stabilizer pads for vehicles, and more particularly to pivotally mounted stabilizer pads. In the majority of the constructions disclosed herein the stabilizer pads are reversible having a generally flanged first surface for engagement with a soft irregular ground surface such as gravel, and having a resilient second surface for engagement with a smooth hard ground surface such as concrete or asphalt.
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view of a typical loader/backhoe 10 having a shovel mechanism 12, stabilizer arms 14 and 16, and associated stabilizer pads 18 and 20, respectfully. Hydraulic pistons 15 are used to operate each of the stabilizer arms 14 and 16 independently. In FIG. 1, the stabilizer arms are in an operational, extended position with the stabilizer pads 18 and 20 in engagement with the ground surface to prevent movement of the backhoe during operation of the shovel mechanism 12. When the backhoe 10 is to be moved, the pistons associated with each cylinder are withdrawn so that the stabilizer arms 14 and 16 pivot and raise the stabilizer pads above ground level.
The stabilizer pad 18 of FIG. 1 is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 2 and 3. Stabilizer pad 20 is substantially identical to stabilizer pad 18. The stabilizer pad 18 and similar stabilizer pads are further described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,889,362, 5,054,812, 5,466,004, 5,547,220 and 5,667,245, each of which is issued to the inventor of the present application and incorporated herein by reference. The stabilizer pad 18 includes a flat plate 22 having flanges 24 and 26, both extending from one surface of plate 22. The stabilizer pad 18 is also provided with supporting webs or ribs 25, one associated with each flange. The ribs 25 provide additional support for the flanges 24 and 26. The plate 22 is notched at 30 between flanges 24 and 26 as illustrated in FIG. 1. The plate is notched to accommodate the arm 14 and to enable reversible rotation of the stabilizer pad.
The stabilizer arm 14 includes a journal end for accommodating pin 34. Pin 34 also fits within holes of flanges 24 and 26. The pin is used to secure the stabilizer pad to the arm using, for example, a cotter pin as illustrated in FIG. 3.
On the side of the flat plate 22 opposite that containing the flanges 24 and 26 are disposed three laminated rubber pads 40. Each of the rubber pads 40 includes laminated rubber sections supported between angle irons 44 and 48. The angle irons 44 and 48 have a base leg and an upright leg. Each of the upright legs has holes therein for receiving elongated securing pins 50 for containing the laminated rubber sections between the angle irons. The laminated pads 40 are secured to the plate 22 using bolts 53 and nuts 55.
The stabilizer pads 18 and 20 are rotatable about pin 34 when the stabilizer arms are in the raised position to place either the rubber pads 40 downward for engagement with the ground or to place the flanges 24 and 26 downward for engagement with the ground.
In typical operation, the rubber pad side of the stabilizer pad 18 is positioned to engage the ground, as shown in FIG. 1, when the ground surface is a relatively flat hard surface such as concrete or pavement. The flange side of the stabilizer pad 18, as shown in FIG. 2, is positioned to engage the ground when the ground surface is an unfinished ground surface, such as gravel or dirt. The flanges are designed to dig into the unfinished ground surface to anchor and stabilize the backhoe.
Although the prior art, reversible stabilizer pads described above provide reliable operation, it is desirable to provide a simplified stabilizer pad with improved operational performance over the stabilizer pads described above.
In one general aspect, the invention features a stabilizer pad for use with a stabilizer arm. The stabilizer pad includes a frame having a base plate and first and second flanges extending from a first surface of the base plate. Each of the first flange and the second flange has at least one grouser point to engage a ground surface. The frame, including the base plate, the first flange and the second flange, is formed using a continuous, substantially U-shaped piece of material. The stabilizer pad further includes a resilient pad mounted to a second surface of the base plate, opposite the first surface of the base plate.
The resilient pad can be constructed and arranged such that it covers substantially all of the second surface of the base plate, and the resilient pad can include a plurality of rubber strips. The stabilizer arm can include a pin for rotatably mounting the stabilizer pad to the stabilizer arm, and each of the first and second flanges can include a mounting hole to receive the pin. The resilient pad can be a reversible resilient pad having a first substantially smooth surface to engage a ground surface, and a second substantially smooth surface to engage a ground surface, the first surface being substantially parallel to the second surface. The stabilizer pad can further include a mounting bracket that is constructed and arranged to mount the resilient pad to the frame such that either the first surface of the resilient pad or the second surface of the resilient pad is in contact with the second surface of the base plate. Each of the flanges can have a pair of grouser points to engage a ground surface, and for each pair of grouser points, a first grouser point of the pair can extend a greater distance from the base plate than a second grouser point of the pair. The stabilizer pad can further include means for preventing inadvertent rotation of the stabilizer pad about the pin.
In another general aspect, the invention features a stabilizer pad for pivotally coupling to a stabilizer arm of a vehicle such that the stabilizer pad can rotate about a rotation axis to allow either a first ground contact face of the stabilizer pad or a second ground contact face of the stabilizer pad to engage a ground surface. The stabilizer pad includes a frame having a base plate, a first flange and a second flange, the base plate having a first surface and a second surface, the first and second flanges being coupled to the base plate and extending in a direction substantially perpendicular to the first surface of the base plate. The stabilizer pad further includes a resilient pad mounted to the base plate, the resilient pad extending over substantially all of the second surface of the base plate.
The resilient pad can include a plurality of rubber strips. The stabilizer arm can include a pin for mounting the stabilizer pad to the stabilizer arm, and each of the first and second flanges can include a mounting hole to receive the pin. The resilient pad can be reversible and have a first substantially smooth surface to engage a ground surface, and a second substantially smooth surface to engage the ground surface, the first surface being substantially parallel to the second surface. The stabilizer pad can further include a mounting bracket that is constructed and arranged to mount the resilient pad to the frame such that either the first surface of the resilient pad or the second surface of the resilient pad is in contact with the second surface of the base plate. Each of the flanges of the stabilizer pad can have a pair of grouser points to engage a ground surface, and for each pair of grouser points, a first grouser point of the pair can extend a greater distance from the base plate than a second grouser point of the pair. The stabilizer pad can further include means for preventing inadvertent rotation of the stabilizer pad about the pin. The resilient pad can be formed using at least one rubber strip having a slot formed therein, and the base plate can extend through the slot in the rubber strip.
In yet another general aspect, the present invention features a rotatable stabilizer pad for use with a stabilizer arm. The rotatable stabilizer pad includes a base plate having a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being substantially parallel to the first surface, and first and second flanges, coupled to the base plate and extending from one surface of the base plate. Each of the flanges has a pair of grouser points to engage a ground surface, and for each pair of grouser points, a first grouser point of the pair extends a greater distance from the base plate than a second grouser point of the pair. The stabilizer pad can further include a resilient pad mounted to the base plate, and the resilient pad can have an engaging surface to engage a ground surface, the engaging surface being substantially parallel to the second surface of the base plate.
In another general aspect, the invention features a reversible resilient pad for a stabilizer pad of a stabilizer arm. The resilient pad includes a resilient body portion having a first substantially smooth surface to engage a ground surface, and a second substantially smooth surface to engage a ground surface, and means for coupling the resilient body portion to the stabilizer pad such that either the first surface or the second surface can be selected as a contact surface and be positioned to contact the ground surface. The resilient body portion can include a plurality of rubber strips.
In another general aspect, the invention features a reversible resilient pad for a stabilizer pad of a stabilizer arm. The reversible resilient pad includes a resilient body portion having a first substantially smooth surface to engage a ground surface, and a second substantially smooth surface to engage a ground surface, the first surface being substantially parallel to the second surface. The reversible resilient pad further includes at least one mounting bracket coupled to the resilient body portion for coupling the resilient body portion to the stabilizer pad.
The at least one mounting bracket can include a first bracket mounted to a first side of the body portion between the first surface and the second surface, and a second bracket mounted to a second side of the body portion between the first surface and the second surface. The first bracket and the second bracket can be constructed and arranged to provide reversible mounting of the resilient pad to the stabilizer arm to allow either the first substantially smooth surface or the second substantially smooth surface to contact a ground surface.
In another general aspect, the invention features a stabilizer pad for a stabilizer arm of a vehicle. The stabilizer pad includes means for pivotally coupling the stabilizer pad to the stabilizer arm of the vehicle such that the stabilizer pad can rotate about a rotation axis to allow either a first ground contact face of the stabilizer pad or a second ground contact face of the stabilizer pad to engage a ground surface, a first flange and a second flange, each of which is coupled to the means for pivotally coupling, a resilient pad, and means for coupling the resilient pad to the first flange and the second flange.
The resilient pad can be a reversible resilient pad having a first substantially smooth surface to engage the ground surface, and a second substantially smooth surface to engage the ground surface, the first surface being substantially parallel to the second surface. The means for coupling can include means for arranging the reversible resilient pad such that either the first surface of the resilient pad or the second surface of the resilient pad is positioned to contact the ground surface. Each of the flanges can have a pair of grouser points to engage a ground surface. The means for pivotally coupling can allow rotation of the stabilizer pad such that either the grouser points or the resilient pad is positioned to engage the ground surface. The stabilizer pad can further include means for preventing inadvertent rotation of the stabilizer pad about the axis of rotation.
In another aspect of the present invention there is provided a stabilizer pad for use with a stabilizer arm. The stabilizer pad comprises a frame of multiple members including a first member defining a first ground contact surface extending generally along a first plane, and a second member having a surface extending generally along a second plane. The first and second planes are arranged in a non-parallel relative position. A resilient pad is provided and mounted to the second member surface and defines a second ground contact surface different than said first ground contact surface. The first and second ground contact surfaces are also arranged in a non-parallel relative position. The first member comprises at least a first flange and the second member comprises a base plate. The resilient pad has a first substantially flat surface to engage a ground surface and a second substantially flat surface to engage a ground surface. The first substantially flat surface is substantially parallel to the second flat surface. The pad also includes means for coupling the resilient pad to the frame so that either the first surface or the second surface can be selected as a contact surface and be positioned to contact the ground surface.
In accordance with still a further aspect of the present invention there is provided, in a stabilizer pad for use with a stabilizer arm, an improved resilient pad member that is comprised of a resilient body portion having a first ground engageable surface extending generally along a first plane, and a second ground engageable surface extending generally along a second plane. The first and second planes are spaced from each other and disposed substantially in parallel relative position. Means are provided for coupling the resilient body portion to the stabilizer pad such that one of the first and second ground engageable surfaces can be selected and be positioned to contact the ground surface while the other of the first and second ground engageable surfaces is disposed spaced above and substantially in parallel to the ground surface. The means for coupling enables either, but only one at a time, of the ground engageable surfaces to be in contact with the ground surface. The resilient body portion may include a plurality of rubber strips.
In accordance with still a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a stabilizer pad for use with a stabilizer arm. The pad comprises a support piece and means for pivotally retaining the support piece from the stabilizer arm. The resilient pad has at least one upstanding portion engageable with a slot in the support piece. Retaining means are provided for securing the resilient pad to the support piece. The support piece may include an upright flange and a base piece having multiple slots for receiving multiple upstanding portions of the resilient pad.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a stabilizer pad for use with a stabilizer arm. The pad comprises a support piece and means for pivotally retaining the support piece from the stabilizer arm. A resilient pad is provided having at least one slot therethrough and defining first and second opposed ground engaging surfaces. The support piece has at least one base support member engaging the slot for support of the resilient pad from the support piece with one of said ground engaging surfaces disposed in a ground engaging position. The support piece may actually comprise a pair of base support pieces engaging with a corresponding pair of slots in the resilient pad. In this particular aspect of the invention the resilient pad is reversible by removing retaining means and reversing the pad through a 180xc2x0 rotation. A circular or hexagonal shape could be revolved in smaller degrees of rotation such as 30xc2x0, 45xc2x0 etc and then secured also.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a stabilizer pad that comprises a support piece and a resilient pad supported from the support piece. The support piece has a cam and there is also provide a releasable resilient latch supported from the stabilizer arm and adapted to engage the cam to hold the latch in a locked position. The latch is constructed of a resilient material and manually operable so as to move to an unlocked position, disengaging from the cam to permit rotation of the pad. The releasable latch is preferably held in a locked position while grouser points of the pad are in engagement with a ground surface.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a stabilizer pad assembly that is comprised of a pair of laterally spaced apart plate members with the plate members being pivotally attached to a stabilizer arm by a pin extending laterally between spaced surfaces of respective plate members. At least one resilient pad is formed with multiple peripheral surfaces and with at least one passage extending transversely therethrough between opposite sides thereof. At least one mounting member is provided extending through the passage in the resilient pad. The mounting member has at least one end portion secured to at least one of the plate members so as to support the resilient pad from that plate member. A fastener is engageable between the resilient pad and the plate member. This fastener is removable to permit the resilient pad to be rotatable between the multiple peripheral surfaces and to be re-engagable so as to permit selective positioning of any one of the multiple peripheral surfaces for use as a working surface for ground engagement.
In accordance with further aspects of the present invention there may be a plurality of separate resilient pads and a like plurality of mounting members. The mounting members may position the resilient pads with opposite ends thereof disposed between the pair of plate members. The mounting members preferably position the resilient pads spaced from one another. The mounting member may comprise a shaft. The resilient pads may be of cylindrical shape with the mounting member extending through a passage at substantially the center axis of the cylindrical resilient pad. The cylindrical pad may have multiple, peripherally-disposed, through holes corresponding in number to the number of multiple peripheral surfaces and for receiving the fastener extending through a selected one of the holes between plate members to position one of the multiple surfaces for use as the working surface.
In accordance with further aspects of the present invention the mounting member may be in the form of a bolt and the fastener may also be in the form of a bolt. Each resilient pad may be of multi-sided, cross-section including, for example, a square cross-section or a triangular cross-section. Each of the resilient pads may be of single piece construction or may be comprised of multiple stacked pad segments. There may be provided a base wall interconnecting the spaced apart plate members and disposed between the pin and the resilient pad. The base wall and parts of the plate members form a pocket for receiving multiple resilient pads. The plate members may also have grouser points.
In accordance with still further versions, the pad may comprise a pair of laterally spaced apart plate members with the pair of plate members being pivotally attached to a stabilizer arm by a pin extending laterally between facing surfaces of the respective plate members. At least one resilient pad is provided formed with multiple peripheral surfaces, and with at least one passage extending transversely therethrough between opposite sides of resilient pad. At least one mounting member is provided extending through the passage in the resilient pad. The resilient pad passage and mounting member have like non-circular cross-sections. A fastener removeably engageable with the mounting member is removable to permit the resilient pad to be rotatable between the multiple peripheral surfaces and re-engagable so as to permit selective positioning of any one of the multiple peripheral surfaces for use as a working surface for ground engagement.
In accordance with further aspects of the invention, there may be provided a plurality of separate resilient pads and a like plurality of mounting members. The mounting members may position the resilient pads with opposite ends thereof disposed between the pair of plate members. The mounting members may position the resilient pads spaced from one another. The mounting member may comprise a shaft that extends between spaced apart plate members. The shaft is of multi-sided cross-section and may be, for example, triangular or square in cross-section. The combination of the passage in the pad as well as the configuration of the shaft provides indexing for the pad supported from the plate members.
In accordance with still a further version of the present invention there is provided a stabilizer pad assembly that comprises a pair of laterally spaced apart plate members, a pin extending between the plate members for providing pivotal support of the plate members from a stabilizer arm and a resilient pad formed with upper and low substantially planar surfaces, and with at least one passage extending transversely therethrough between opposite sides thereof. At least one mounting member extends through the passage in the pad and is fixedly supported from at least one of the pair of plate members. A clamp bar is spacedly disposed from one of the plate members and arranged on the side of that plate member opposite to the other plate member. The clamp bar is for retaining one side of the resilient pad. At least one securing piece is provided extending through the clamp bar and the resilient pad and for securing the resilient pad to the one plate member with the resilient pad retained between the clamp bar and the one plate member.
In accordance with still further versions of the present invention the clamp bar may have a curved cross-section so that when it is clamped it provides a vice action on the resilient pad. There may be a pair of mounting members. The securing piece may comprise at least one bolt that is for securing the resilient pad to the one plate member. There may also be provided another resilient pad, clamp bar, and pair of mounting members for securing the other resilient pad to the other plate member, whereby both resilient pads are on the outside of the respective plate members.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a stabilizer assembly for earth moving apparatus and in which the stabilizer pad is oriented in a different manner than existing systems so as to provide a more stable construction. The stabilizer pad assembly may be considered as having a front-to-back axis and a side-to-side axis and includes at least one substantially vertical stabilizer arm and a stabilizer pad secured to the lower end of the stabilizer arm for engaging a work surface beneath the stabilizer arm. The stabilizer pad comprises a plate mounted on the lower end of the stabilizer arm and a pad member which is usually resilient and which is removeably mounted to the plate on the lower side thereof facing the work surface. The plate is of multi-sided shape having a first side dimension transverse to and greater in length than a second side dimension. The plate is mounted to the stabilizer arm so as to position the orientation of the plate with its first side dimension extending parallel to the front-to-back axis of the earth moving apparatus. This essentially orients the stabilizer pad 90xc2x0 from its previous orientation. The long dimension of the pad extends in the front-to-back direction. This construction centers the stabilizer arm on a long edge of the stabilizer pad instead of on a short edge and is thus more centered on the pad. This construction reduces excessive wear along one edge, and more evenly spreads the load over the entire lower surface of the pad.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a removeable pad assembly which is comprised of laminated layers of a resilient material such as rubber. The orientation of the rubber layers is vertical or perpendicular to the ground surface. The orientation of the layers may be either parallel to the front to back direction of the earth moving equipment or transverse thereof, depending upon the use of the equipment or wear characteristics desired. The pad assembly includes a bracket and pins which are mounted onto the underside of the stabilizer pad and which compress and holds together laminated rubber layers. This construction increases the life of the pad, improves the frictional engagement of the pad with the ground surface and permits the easy replacement of the rubber surface when it has become excessively worn.
In a further aspect of the invention, multiple independent pad assemblies are provided. In one embodiment, one pad assembly is disposed directly below the stabilizer arm and may be replaced separately from the outer assembly or assemblies so that the assembly experiencing the most wear may be replaced independently of the other assembly or assemblies, thus reducing the replacement costs due to pad wear.
In accordance with still a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a stabilizer assembly for an earth moving apparatus that is for improving the stability of the earth moving apparatus by employing an offset arrangement, preferably associated with each of the stabilizer arms of the apparatus.
In accordance with one aspect of this offset arrangement, there is provided an apparatus that comprises at least one stabilizer arm and a stabilizer pad disposed on a lower end of the stabilizer arm for engaging a work surface beneath the stabilizer arm. The stabilizer pad comprises a resilient pad member adapted for engagement with the work surface, a plate under which the resilient pad member is supported and including an attachment piece over the plate. An offset bracket intercouples the stabilizer arm and the attachment piece for displacing the pad member and plate so that the attachment piece is in-board of the stabilizer arm.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention the apparatus preferably comprises a pair of stabilizer arms supported vertically for limited vertical movement, and the offset bracket extends horizontally from the bottom of each stabilizer arm to the attachment piece. The attachment piece may include a pivot that enables pivoting between the attachment piece and the offset bracket. In one embodiment the offset bracket may include a flat plate secured to the stabilizer arm, and a rod disposed at an opposed end and for defining part of the pivot. In another embodiment the offset bracket may include a rod welded to the bottom of the stabilizer arm. In still another embodiment the offset bracket may be L-shaped secured at one leg to the bottom of the stabilizer arm, and at the other leg fixedly secured to the plate of the stabilizer pad. The resilient pad member may comprise separately disposed pad assemblies.
In accordance with another feature of the present invention there is provided a latch device for use with a stabilizer pad attached to a stabilizer arm of a vehicle and preventing self-flipping of the stabilizer pad relative to the stabilizer arm. This latch device comprises a latch constructed and arranged to have a pivot that enables limited rotation thereof. The latch is adapted to be disposed on either on the stabilizer arm or the stabilizer pad. The stabilizer pad is considered as having one and other positions or surfaces relating to opposed work surfaces. The latch is adapted for engagement with an abutting surface to hold the latch in an armed condition preventing rotation of the stabilizer pad from one position to the other. The latch is also readily manually operated to disarm the latch to enable the pad to be rotated from one position to the other.
A further aspect of the present invention is directed to a stabilizer pad having an offset construction as it relates to the stabilizer arm. There is provided a stabilizer pad in which the downwardly-directed force exerted on the pad by the stabilizer arm is more centrally located on the pad without substantially increasing the load applied to the pad and thus to the underlying surface, and in which the pad does not extend outwardly away from the center of the earth moving apparatus any farther than pre-existing pads, permitting the earth moving apparatus to be used in exactly the same limited or confined locations as existing earth moving apparatus. This result is achieved by providing a rectangular stabilizer pad which has roughly the same or greater dimensions as the stabilizer pad presently being used but which has been rotated 90xc2x0 so that the long dimension of the pad extends in the front to back direction, instead of from an outside edge towards the center of the apparatus. In this novel apparatus, the vertical stabilizer arm is substantially centered on a long edge of the stabilizer pad instead of a short edge and thus is more centered on the pad. This construction reduces excessive wear along one edge, and more evenly spreads the load over the entire lower surface of the pad.
In another aspect of the invention, the molded rubber surface which is disposed on the underside of the prior art stabilizer pad and which is in engagement with the ground surface, is replaced with a removable pad assembly which is comprised of a laminated layers of rubber. The orientation of the rubber layers is vertical or perpendicular to the ground surface. The orientation of the layers may be either parallel to the front to back direction of the earth moving equipment or transverse thereof, depending upon the use of the equipment or wear characteristics desired. The pad assembly includes a bracket and pins which are mounted onto the underside of the stabilizer pad and which compress and holds together laminated rubber layers. This construction increases the life of the pad, improves the frictional engagement of the pad with the ground surface and permits the easy replacement of the rubber surface when it has become excessively worn.
In a further aspect of the invention, multiple independent pad assemblies are provided. In one embodiment, one pad assembly is disposed directly below the stabilizer arm and may be replaced separately from the outer assembly or assemblies so that the assembly experiencing the most wear may be replaced independently of the other assembly or assemblies, thus reducing the replacement costs due to pad wear.
In accordance with still a further aspect of the present invention the offset concepts described herein may be applied, not only to vertically disposed stabilizer arms but also to slanted stabilizer arms. Moreover, the offset arrangement may offset the pads either outboard of the stabilizer arms or inboard of the stabilizer arms.